Car coupler



May 8, 1962 w. J. METZGER CAR COUPLER Fil ed Dec. 5, 1960 4 Sheets-$heet l INVENTOR. WILLIAM J METZGER ATM/(NU May 8, 1962 Filed Dec. 5, 19

W. J. METZGER CAR COUPLER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 a I I INVEN TOR;

W/lZ/AM 1 Miriam May 8, 1962 w. J. METZGER CAR COUPLER 4 Sheets-$heet 3 Filed D80. 5, 1960 INVENTOR. WILLIAM J MZTZGH? ATM/7ND y 1962 w. J. METZGER 3,033,385

CAR COUPLER Filed Dec. 5, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR.

WILLIAM J Mnzam ATM/(MHZ Patented May 8, 1962 3,033,385 CAR COUPLER William J. Metzger, East Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to National Castings Company, a-corporation of Ohio Filed Dec. 5, 1960, Ser. No. 73,786 15 Claims. (Cl. 213-160) This invention relates to car couplers of rigid jaw type that have a lock pivoted in a lower rear wall portion of the coupler head and utilize anti-creep and lock-set members pivoted in an upper portion of the coupler head. A prior art coupler of this general type is disclosed in United States Patent No. 2,591,275 of William I. Metzger, dated April 1, 1952.

The present invention arises primarily through efforts to adapt the fixed jaw type coupler to the dimensional standards imposed by the typical 'side bulfer type vehicles in extensive use on European railways. In general, the lengths of the heads of present types of fixed jaws couplers are too great to permit satisfactory adaptation and disposition within the space between two side-buffer type vehicles when the buffers are engaged, especially when used in combination with transitional type equipment permitting coupling of vehicles by alternate types of couplers.

Hence, it is a primary object to provide a fixed jaw coupler having a head of unusually short length in the pulling direction of the coupler.

Another object is to provide a coupler embodying advantageous features of the more advanced fixed jaw couplers, e.g., anti-creep mechanisms, lock setting mechanism including an extrenal manual control for taking the coupler out of lock-set condition.

It is also an object, in view of the first-named object, to provide a coupler having the strength of the prior art couplers but having greatly reduced weight.

A further object is to provide a coupler of unusually short head length and unusually high leverage relation of its lock lifter with its lock for use on side buffer equipped vehicles. The shortened head facilitates the installation of a fixed jaw coupler within the standard dimensions prevailing between vehicles in use on European railways. The high leverage lock lifter facilitates the uncoupling of such couplers when coupled under such tension as may result from engagement of buffers.

The above objects and others apparent herein below are fulfilled in a car coupler of drastically reduced head length comprising a rigid jawed head having a cavity opening toward the front of the coupler, a lock supported in one side of the cavity with the lower rearward corner portion thereof in pivotal connection with a lower rearward wall portion of the head; a lock thrower rotatable with respect to a horizontal transverse axis disposed upwardly and forwardly from the connection of the lock with the wall portion; "a thrower being operably'connected, such as by an eccentric portion thereof in cam relation with the lock, for swinging the lock rearwardly within the cavity from a locking position to an unlocking position.

' To elfect shortening of the head in a basic manner, the lock at its locking position consists of a front section projecting beyond the cavity mouth, and a rear section which extends rearwardly into the cavity from its mouth and is of generally triangular shape with the lower rear corner thereof forming, for example, a tooth-and-shoulder structure of which the tooth projects into a recess or opening in a rearward lower wall portion of the head. The triangular section defines a rear surface of the lock sloping upwardly and forwardly from the lower rearward wall portion toward the upper extremity of the cavity opening. The coupler head has a rearward wall spaced from the cavity mouth to engageably receive the sloping surface of the lock at unlocking position and to dispose the front section of the lock in an unlocking position substantially within the cavity.

When the coupler is provided with anti-creep and lock setting structure, as in the preferred embodiment, the head comprises a trunnion or other structure for supporting a lock-set piece and an anti-creep element in pivotal relation to a second horizontal transverse axis in direct overhead fixed relation with the axis of the thrower. Such an arrangement disposes the thrower axis forwardly of a plane that contains the upper axis and passes downwardly and rearwardly therefrom centrally through the pivotal connection of the lock and the head. When the lock is of a type having a recess for receiving a lockactuating cam portion of the thrower, cooperation among the thrower, the lock, 21 lock-set piece, and an anti-creep element is obtained by locating two laterally extending projections of the lock, i.e., an anti-creep lug engageable with the element and a lock-set lug engageable with the lock-set piece, above the recess with the lock-set projection spaced rearwardly of the anti-creep projection.

the shortening of the coupler head is the provision of a latch pivotally connected to the thrower to operate the lock-set piece in place of a conventional cam. The latch is connected with the thrower to swing outwardly in a lock-retracting stroke to engage an undersurface of the lock-set piece and lift it sufiiciently to disengage the anticreep system. The latch, however, is retrac'tible readily toward the axis of the thrower during return rotation thereof to a position from which the latch will be pivoted away from the thrower axis by its own center of gravity to a position aligning it again for engagemen' with the lock-set piece.

In the drawing with respect to which the invention is described below:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view in horizontal section of the head of the coupler embodying the present invention as viewed along line -I-I of FIG. 4.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the lock-actuating rotor of a coupler having a head in accordance with-FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view showing-two couplers constructed in accordance with this invention in coupreliminary stop mechanism as two opposed couplers pass into coupled relationship.

FIG. 7 is a vertical fragmentary longitudinal section illustrating the mechanism of the coupler of FIGS. 4-6 in neutral or coupled condition wherein the lock-set piece is shown tilted to the position wherein it engages the body of an opposing coupler.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section of the coupler of FIGS. 4-7 with the mechanism thereof moved slightly from neutral locking position to a posi tion wherein the anti-creep mechanism first becomes disengaged.

FIG. 9 is a vertical fragmentary longitudinal section of the coupler of FIGS. 4-8 showing the mechanism in lock-set condition.

FIG. 9A is a longitudinal fragmentary elevation viewing the interior side of one side wall of the coupler head of FIG. 1 with the thrower of FIG. 15 positioned there along.

Another deviation from the prior art necessitated by FIG. 10 illustrates the lock of FIGS. 4-10 in top and side views.

FIG. 11 consists of top, side, and end views of the lock-set piece in FIGS. 4-9.

FIG. 12 consists of axial and transaxial elevations of the external lever portion of the rotor.

FIG. 13 consists of opposite end views and a longitudinal transaxial elevation of the shaft portion of the rotor shown in FIGS. 4-9.

FIG. 14 consists of axial and transaxial elevations of an anti-creep element cooperating with the lock-set piece of FIG. 11.

FIG. 15 consists of axial and transaxial elevations of the thrower portion of the rotor used in the coupler of FIGS. 4-9.

FIG. 16 consists of axial and transaxial elevations of a latch adapted for attachment to the thrower of FIG. 15 for lifting the lock-set piece of FIG. 11.

FIG. 17 illustrates a pin insertable into the head of FIG. 1 to secure the lever of FIG. 11 in bearing relation therewith.

Proceeding now to coupler 2 in more detailed description of the invention as embodied in two identical couplers 2 and 2A shown coupled in FIG. 2, coupler 2 comprises an interlocking-type head 3 depicted in horizontally sectioned plan view in FIG. 1, a lock 4 separately illustrated in FIG. 10, a lock-set piece 5 illustrated in FIG. 11, an anti-creep element 6 illustrated in FIG. 14, and a lock-operating rotor 7 shown in FIG. 2. This rotor comprises the rotor shaft 8 of FIG. 13, the external lever 9 of FIG. 12, the lock thrower 10 of FIG. 14, and the rotor pawl 11 of FIG. 16.

The coupler head 3 as shown in FIG. 1 comprises fixed jaws 14 and 15 and wings 16 and 17 which characterize the coupler as an interlocking type adapting it to mate with the wings of a similar coupler to prevent lateral or vertical relative displacement of the couplers. Also, the coupler head 3 has a cavity 18 opening in the frontward direction of the coupler and terminating at its front end in a mouth defined by its buffing face '19. The cavity 18 is of unusually short length in the longitudinal direction of the coupler as typified by its longitudinal axis A--A. This shortened head structure and the internal lock-operating mechanism by which this short length is achieved characterize the invention.

Of primary importance in achieving this invention is the shape of the lock 4 and its relationship with the coupler head construction. The lock 4, in an approximate manner, comprises a forward section N which is disposed outside the cavity 13 and forwardly of the bufiing face 19 at locking position of the lock. The rear section M is disposed inwardly of the cavity 18 at locking position. The two sections are, in approximate fashion, divided by a vertical transverse plane coinciding with the buffing face 19. Such a plane would intersect the lateral foreground surface of lock 4 in FIG. 10 approximately along a vertical lateral contour line 21.

Rear section M of the lock is of generally triangular shape in the forward to rearward direction. Its lower rearward corner defines a tooth 23 tapering in a downward rearward direction from shoulders 24 and 25 at either side of its base. This tooth-and-shoulder construction of the lock cooperates with an aperture 27 and convex bosses 28 and 29 at opposite sides of the aperture to form a pivotal connection of the lock'with a lower rear wall portion of the head. In operation, this connection is quite similar to that of intermeshing gears as the lock pivots from a forward locking position shown in FIG. 7 rearwardly and upwardly to its lock-set position shown in FIG. 9. In an unlocking movement, the lock first pivots about the boss 28 and then, as shoulder 24 engages boss 29, about the latter boss (see FIG. 8).

To further characterize its triangularity, section M has a rear surface 31 sloping upwardly and forwardly from the shoulder 24 at forwardly tilted or locking position of the lock to form the rear periphery of the lock. At the locking position shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, surface 31 extends from the lower rear corner wall portion of the head toward the upper extremity 32 of the mouth of the cavity 18. To be further noted from FIG. 7, the lock rests in its forwardly descended locking position on the bottom wall of the coupler head by engagement of the lock undersurface 34 with the upward-facing surface 35 of the head. In unlocking position, as shown in FIG. 9, the rear surface 31 is positioned against or adjacent the front-facing surface 36 of the rear head wall 37. To effect lock-set position, it is necessary for the lock to move rearwardly into approximate contact with the surface 36 to enable a lock-set lug 39 of the lock to wedge behind a lock-set lug 41 of the lock-set piece 5.

Hence, in obtaining a coupler head of minimum length as sought by the present invention, (1) the triangular shape of section M of the lock 4 and the utilization of the bottom and rear walls of the coupler head in conjunction with the undersurface, and the rear diagonal surface of the section M, respectively; and (2) the spacing of the rear wall 37 from the mouth of the cavity to determine the angular range of lock movement are critical factors in etfecting the retraction of the lock into the cavity necessary for lock-set operation.

The lock, as illustrated in FIG. 10, has a recess 43 extending inwardly from its foreground lateral side 44. This recess has a periphery 45 cooperating with the thrower 10 of the lock operating rotor 8. In a normal coupling operation, each lock of both couplers is pushed rearwardly in the associated coupler about halfway of its retractive range as illustrated in FIG. 6 from its forward locking position to a position known as preliminary stop" wherein portion 47 of the lock-recess surface 45 engages surface 48 of the thrower. As the locks of opposing coupiers pass by each other in a coupling operation they promptly snap back into the position of FIG. 7 to complete interlocking of the couples. When turning the rotor 7 to unlock the coupler, surface 49 of the thrower en gages portion 51 of lock surface 45, as shown in FIG. 8, in swinging the lock rearward from position of FIG. 7.

The lock has an aperture 53 through which the rotor shaft 8 extends that is elongated along an are generally concentric with a pivotal axis of the lock at its connection with the lower rear corner portion of the head. The aperture is sufiiciently elongated to enable movement of the lock transversely of the rotor shaft through its full range. The lock 4 also has a fin 54 which is thin in the horizontal direction and projects rearwardly from the surface 31 through an aperture 55 in the lower rear head wall 56. The fin 54 protrudes rearwardly beyond the wall 56 when the lock is in lock-set position to indicate the lock-set condition of the coupler. The aperture 55 is horizontally complementary to the cross-section of the fin and hence assists in supporting the lock in its movements between locking and unlocking positions.

The lock-set piece 5 is supported within the head on a trunnion 60 projecting inwardly from side wall 61. This trunnion is located directly overhead the rotor shaft 8 and extends along a transverse horizontal axis in substantially vertical parallel relation to the axis 64 of the rotor shaft, as shown in FIG. 6. The axis 65 of the trunnion and axis 64 of the rotor are contained in a nearly vertical plane CC which is less vertical than another plane DD which contains the axis 65 and passes centrally through the connection of the lock with the lower rear wall section of the head, i.e., the cooperating intermeshing construction of the lock and coupled in the vicinity of aperture 27.

Hence, a feature characterizing the present shortened coupler head construction is that the rotor axis 64 is disposed forwardly of the plane DD and that the axes 64 and 65 are in somewhat more vertical relationship than found in the prior art.

The lock-set piece 5 has a vertically elongate aperture 58 characterized by a rear concave surface 66 and a forward fiat surface 67. The lock-set piece portion 68 in the rear of the aperture is weighted in respect to the portion 69 frontwardly of the aperture so as to tilt the lock-set piece to its naturally pendent position relative to the trunnion 60 shown in FIG. 4. At this position, a shoe 71 forming the front extremity of the lock-set piece, is disposed forwardly of the buffing wall 19 wherein it may be engaged by the bufling jaw 15 of another coupler entering the pocket 73. At completion of the coupling operation, the lock-set piece is rotated to the position shown in FIG. 7 wherein the shoe 71 is received within a recess 75 (see FIG. 1) extending rearwardly from the bufiing surface 19 and in offset lateral relation with the main cavity 18. The bottom surface 76 (FIG. 1) of the recess is a rearward stop for the shoe and thus limits rearward tilting movement of the lockset piece.

In additional to its lock-setting function, a primary use of the lock-set piece is to disengage the anti-creep mechanism during an uncoupling operation. Such disengagement is accomplished by a vertical movement of the lockset piece in which it tilts and lifts the anti-creep element 6 about its axis of rotation 65 out of rearwardly-disposed abutting relation with the anti-creep lug 40 of the lock. The aperture 58, more particularly the flat surface 67, and the recess 75 in the buffing wall of the coupler are long enough to permit the range of vertical movement of the lock-set piece necessary for inactivating the anti-creep mechanism. In fact, the surface 67, the surface 76, and the opposed jaw 15 of an opposing coupler (when received in the pocket 73) function as vertical guides for the lock-set piece.

For lifting the lock-set piece 5 and thereby inactivating the anti-creep system, the forward portion 69 of the piece 5 is provided with a lug 78 :having a downward-facing surface 79 disposed adjacent the shoe 71 to be engaged by the rotor pawl 11. In FIG. 7, the upper end of the pawl is shown in subjacent relation with the surface 79 at the neutral or relaxed condition of the rotor 7. Fig. 8 illustrates the rotor at a stage in which the lock-set piece is lifted to an elevation at which the anti-creep element 6 is lifted out of engageable relation with the anti-creep lug 40 of the lock and the lock is about to be carried rearwardly as the result of thrust of the thrower surface 49 applied against the lock recess surface 51.

The lock-set piece 5 further comprises a rod-like handle 81 projecting laterally from its body and of such a length as to extend through a vertical slot 80 in the side wall 61 of the coupler head shown in FIG. 3. The vertical location'of the slot 80 is indicated in dot-dash line in FIGS. 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9. The handle 81 is needed for lifting the lock-set piece 5 out of the, position shown in FIG. 9, i.e., to disengage the lock-set lug 41 from the lock-set lug 34 of the lock, and thereby allow the lock to return to its locking position of FIG. 7.

The lock-set piece 5 further comprises a tin-shaped guide lug 82 integral with the forward upper portion surrounding the aperture 58. The lug 82 has a function hereinafter described with respect to the anti-creep element 6. A lug 83, spaced vertically below the lock-set lug 41, projects from the lower rear corner of the lock-set pieces on the same side thereof as the lock-set lug. The lug 83 functions primarily as a weight addition for properly locating the center of gravity of the lock-set piece.

The anti-creep element illustrating independently in FIG. 14 has an aperture 85.for receiving the trunnion 60 on which it is supported as illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 9. The element, in its normal posture in the locking position of the coupler (see FIG. 7), comprises an arm 86 extending downwardly into rearward juxtaposed position with the anti-creep lug 40 of the lock. Any unintentional creeping of the lock rearwardly results in engagement of the lug 46 with the end surface 87 of the arm. The center of gravity of the element is forwardly or to the left of the aperture 85, as shown in the left axial view of FIG. 14. Rotation in the counterclockwise direction of that view is pre vented by a lug 88 which extends laterally into overlapping relation with the front concave surface 90 of the lock-set piece 5. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 8, the lug rests against the surface 98 of the lock-set piece at all stages of operation of the coupler but changes its angular relationship with the axis 65 in accordance with the degree of tilting or vertical displacement of the lock-set piece relative to the trunnion 6t) and its axis 65.

The lug 88 is U-shaped to fit around the fin-shaped lug 32 projecting forwardly from an upper portion of the surface 98 of the underlying hub portion of the lock-set piece. The interlocking relationship of the lugs 82 and 88 prevents any accidental disengagement of the anti-creep element 6 from the trunnion 60 when the lock is positioned forwardly from the trunnion, as shown in FIGS. 4, 7, and 8. Were it not for the overlapping relationship of these lugs, there would exist the possibility that the anti-creep element could shift laterally off the trunnion.

The various portions of the coupler rotor 7 areillustrated in FIG. 12 (external lever 9), FIG. 14 (rotor 6),

FIG. 15 (thrower 14)), and FIG. 16 (pawl 11). The assembled rotor is shown in FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, the pawl 11 of FIG. 16 is pivotally connected to the thrower 18 of FIG. 15 by a pin 93 extending coaxially of axis 94. The pin 93 is supported by spaced bearings, i.e., an apertured lobe 95 and an apertured arm portion 96 of the thrower between which the hub portion 98 of the pawl may be received. The pawl is pivotable on the pin 93 between an outer periphery 181 of the hub portion 182 of the thrower md a stop lug 163 projecting laterally from the arm 96.

In normal locked condition of the coupler the arm 96 is positioned directly above surface portion (FIG. 7) of the cam-following surface 45 in the lock recess 43. With the rotor so positioned, the pawl 11 rotates under influence of its own center of gravity against the lug 103 whereby its upper end surface 186 faces upwardly in opposed relation with a downward facing lug surface 79 of the lock-set piece 5. At this position of the rotor, the. surface 48 of the rotor arm is presented in forward-facing, spaced, opposed relation with the recess surface 47 preparatory to a preliminary stopping operation of the coupier.

The pawl 11 in progressing from the stage of FIG. 7 to that of FIG. 9, disengages the lug 78 and pivots by its own gravity against the thrower hub 1&2. The pawl is thereafter easily returned while resting against the hub to its position shown in FIG. 7 under the lock-set piece lug 79.

The thrower 18 is further provided with a lug 108 adapted to extend under a lug 189 projecting laterally inwardly from the coupler wall 61. These lugs engage at the locking condition of the coupler shown in FIG. 7 and thus define one limit of the movement of the thrower.

These lugs have another purpose, i.e., to hold the thrower in position for receiving the rotor shaft 8 during assembly of the coupler. FIG. 9A is an elevation view illustrating the manner in which the thrower 10 is positioned on the inner side of the wall 61 during an initial stage of coupler assembly. Shown also is an upward-facing lug 118 projecting inwardly from an upwardly facing shoulder 1318a. The thrower, prior to receiving the shaft 8, rests as shown with an undersurface of its arm' 96 bearing on the lug 118. As the center of gravity of the thrower is forward of the lug 110, its lug 108 is urged upwardly against the lug 189.

The external lever 9 (FIG. 12) of the rotor 7 illustrated in FIG. 2 is adapted by an eye portion 111 to be connected with a conventional operating rod by a chain or other linkage. The lever 9 comprises a hub portion 112 having a polygonal bore 113 adapted to complementarily fit section 114 of the rotor shaft 8. For complementary coaxial relation with a cylindrical surface 115 of the shaft, the lever hub 112 is cylindrically counterbored to G provide a surface 116 of greater periphery than the bore 113. During assembly the surface 116 overlaps the surface 115 of the shaft 8.

The lever hub 112 has an external cylindrical surface 118 adapted to fit within the cylindrical bearing 119 (see FIG. 1) of the coupler head 3. The surface 11.8 serves as a journal for one end of the rotor with the bearing 119. This bearing is preferably integral with the associated side wall as shown. To retain the lever in connected relation with the head and the rotor shaft, surface 118 has a circumferential groove of approximately 260 degrees of angular length about the axis of the rotor for receiving a bolt or pin 120 in tangential relation with the bottom of the groove when inserted into a hole 121 of the head. The longitudinal section 122 of the rotor shaft is a journal in bearing relation with the periphery of an opening 123 through the coupler side wall 61. A radially extending shoulder surface 124 of the shaft radially overlaps an inner side surface of the wall 61 in end-thrust bearing relationship and serves effectively with the bolt 120 inserted into the hole 121 and the groove 119 to trap the rotor shaft in fixed relation relative to the length of the rotor axis 64.

In the assembled rotor, the thrower 10 is supported on section 126 of the rotor and is non-rotatable with respect thereto through complementary relation of the non-circular rotor bore 127 (see FIG. 14) with the external surface of section 126 (see the left-end of FIG. 13).

To assemble the coupler 2 or 2A, the lock-set piece 5 and the anti-creep element 6 are placed together within opening 85 of the element in registry with the lock-set piece opening 58. With the parts 5 and 6 held together, they are positioned Within the coupler head with the trunnion 60 extending through the openings 58 and 35. Thereafter, the thrower 10 is inserted into the cavity against an inner surface of the wall 61 with its lug 188 underneath the side wall lug 109. The lock 5 is then inserted, sliding its recessed portion rearwardly between the thrower and the side wall of the head rearward of the jaw 15. At this point, it will be necessary to manually lift the anti-creep element 6 in order that the lock-set lug 39 of the lock may pass underneath the element. The lock is moved rearwarclly until the tooth 23 occupies the coupler head opening 27 and the fin 54 extends through the opening 55. The rotor shaft 8 is now inserted with cylindrical portion 122 passing foremost through an opening 130 in the guard arm 17 through the bearing 119, opening 53 of the lock, bore 127 of the thrower until section 122 is positioned within the opening 123 and section 114 is disposed within the bearing 119. Thereafter the lever 9 is positioned within the guard arm 17 with its hub portion in concentric relation with section 114- of the shaft 8. The assembly is completed by inserting the pin 120 through the coupler head opening 121.

FIG. 4 illustrates the approximate position assumed by the parts of the coupler immediately after assembling. FIG. 7 illustrates the coupler as coupled. If the rotor 7 of the coupled coupler is now rotated clockwise about the axis 64, the pawl 11 engages the underside 79 of the lug 78 of the lock-set piece. Continued rotation lifts the lockset piece 5 without any appreciable rearward movement of the lock 4 until the thrower 10 has engaged the camfollowing surface 45 and moved the lock to a point placing the anti-creep lug 41 thereof under the arm 86 of the element 6. As the rotor continues rotation, the lug 78 is disengaged to allow the lock-set piece to drop to its position illustrated in FIG. 7 or 9 but the lock 4 continues rearwardly.

With further rotation of the thrower, the forwardly upward sloping rearward side of its lock-set lug 39 engages the forwardly downward sloping underside of the lock-set lug 41 of the lock-set piece 5. At this point, the rear portion of the lock-set piece is pivoted upwardly relative to the trunnion 60 as the lug 39 cams the lug 41 upward. The lock continues rearwardly until it ongages rear wall 36 or at least reaches a position rearward of that shown in FIG. 9. At this point, the lock-set piece drops down again to place the lock-set lug 41 of the lock-set piece in front of the lock-set lug 39 of the lock. In the resulting lock-set condition of the coupler, as shown in FIG. 9, the lock is urged forward by its own center of gravity but is stopped by engagement of the lugs 39 and 41.

Release of the coupler from the lock-set position illustrated in FIG. 9 may be obtained in two ways. One way is to manually lift the lock-set piece through use of the external handle 81. This merely disengages lugs 39 and 41 and allows the lock 4 to pivot forwardly with the lug 39 passing under the lug 41. Assuming a coupler to be engaged with another coupler, the position of FIG. 7 is instantly restored in this manner. The other way in which the coupler may be released from lock-set position as shown in FIG. 9 is to withdraw the means that holds the shoe 71 in the recess '75, such as the buffing jaw on opposed coupler from the pocket 73. Thereupon, the lock-set piece 5 is free to tilt clockwise about the trunnion 60 to the position shown in FIG. 4 and, in so doing, to carry its lock-set lug 41 downwardly relative to the lug 39 out of stop relation with the lock.

Two forces urge the lock-set piece to tilt. One force arises from disposition of the center of gravity of the lock-set piece rearwardly of the trunnion 60. The other force arises from location of the center of gravity of the lock forwardly of its connection with the head tending to pivot it to its forward locking position.

From the drawing and the description immediately above, it will be noted that the lock-set piece is suitably recessed both above and below, and forwardly of the lug 41 to accommodate the lock-set lug 39 of the lock at all positions of the lock-set piece and during forward to rearward movements of the lock.

The coupler construction of the foregoing description results in a coupler of longitudinally shortened head dimensions without any noticeable reduction of strength and durability in respect to conventional couplers with longer heads. Of further advantage is the reduction of weight and cost of manufacture efiected by a shortened head and internal mechanism of more compact design. Under some circumstances, couplers as herein described are particularly advantageous in that they may be used on railway vehicles which provide a limited distance between the striker of a vehicle and its neutral point of coupling with another vehicle. In this situation, occurring for example on railways seeking a change-over from manually coupled couplers to automatic couplers, the heads of couplers have been found to be too long to provide required horn" to striker clearances.

The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention of excluding such equivalents of the invention described or of the portions thereof as fall within the purview of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A car coupler comprising: a rigid-jawed head having a cavity and mouth thereof opening toward the front of the coupler; a lock supported inside the cavity with a lower rearward portion thereof in pivotal connection with a lower rearward portion of the head; a lock thrower rotatable with respect to a horizontal transverse axis disposed in upward forward relation with said connection; said thrower operatively connected with the lock for swinging the lock rearwardly within the cavity from a locking position to an unlocking position; said lock, at the locking position, consisting of a front section projecting beyond said mouth and a rear section extending into the cavity from said mouth; said rear section being of generally triangular shape to define a rear surface sloping upwardly and forwardly from said lower rearward head portion toward the upper extremity of said mouth; the head having a rear wall extending generally vertically from said lower rearward head portion and spaced from said mouth to engageably receive said rear surface of the lock and dispose said front section substantially within the cavity at said unlocking position.

2. A car coupler comprising: a rigid jawed head having a cavity and mouth thereof opening toward the front of the coupler; a lock supported inside the cavity with the lower rearward portion thereof in pivotal connection with a lower rearward wall portion of the head; a lock thrower operatively connected with the lock and rotatable with respect to a first horizontal transverse axis to swing the lock rearwardly from a locking position to an unlocking position; said first axis disposed in upward forward relation with said connection of the lock with the wall portion; means for supporting a lock-set piece and an anti-creep element pivotally with respect to a second horizontal transverse axis in direct overhead relation with said first axis; said lock, at the locking position, consisting of a front section projecting beyond said mouth and a rear section extending into the cavity from said mouth;

said rear section being generally triangular in shape to define a rear surface sloping upwardly and forwardly from said lower wall portion toward the upper extremity of said mouth; the head having a rear wall spaced from said mouth to engageably receive said rear surface of the lock and dispose said front section substantially inwardly of said mouth at said unlocking position.

3. The car coupler of claim 2 wherein: the first axis is disposed forwardly of a plane containing the second axis .and passing centrally through said pivotal connection of the lock and head wall.

4. The car coupler of claim 2 comprising: a lock-set piece connected with said supporting means in loose rotatable relationship providing limited translatory movement in a longitudinal plane of the coupler; said piece being tiltable about the second axis by its own center of gravity to engage another coupler coupled to said coupler, and when so engaged, assuming its normal looksetting position; a latch pivotally connected to said thrower with respect to an axis extending lengthwise of said first axis; said latch having an abutment and being swingable by gravity away from said first axis to position said abutment, at said locking position of the thrower and lock, underneath a cooperating abutment of the lock-set piece.

5. The car coupler of claim 2 wherein: said lock has a recess in one side thereof defined by a peripheral camfollowing surface and the coupler comprises a rotor centered along said first axis in journal bearing relation with side walls of the head; and a lock-set piece; the rotor comprising said thrower received in said recess in engagement with the cam-following surface, a shaft in interlocking axially-removable relation with the thrower, and a latch for lifting a lock-set piece attached pivotally to the thrower along an axis extending lengthwise of said first axis; said latch, at locking position of the rotor and the lock swingable by its own center of gravity away from said axis to position an upwardly facing abutment thereof under a cooperating downward-facing abutment of the lock-set piece.

6. The car coupler of claim 2 comprising: a lock-set piece connected with said supporting means in loose rotatable relationship providing limited translator-y movement in a longitudinal plane of the coupler; said piece having a lock setting position in which it engages another coupler coupled to said coupler while urged against said other coupler by the gravity of said piece acting about said second axis; said lock having a recess in the side thereof receiving said thrower and defined by a camfollowing surface engaged by the thrower; a rear portion of said piece having a laterally projecting lock-set lug; a laterally projecting lock-set lug on the lock adjacent said rear surface disposed for engaging the rear side of the lock-set lug of said piece when the lock and said piece are in lock-setting position.

7. The car coupler of claim 2 comprising: a lock-set piece connected with said supporting means in loose rotatable relationship providing limited translatory move-- ment in a longitudinal plane of the coupler; said piece having a lock-setting position in which it engages another coupler coupled to said coupler while urged against said coupler by gravity of said lock-set piece acting about said second axis;.the lock, at locking position, having an anti-creep lug projecting laterally of the lock immediately inward of said opening, and a lock-set lug spaced rearwardly of the anti-creep lug adjacent said rear surface; an anti-creep element rotatably mounted on the supporting means in laterally juxtaposed relation with the lock-set piece, the element having a laterally extend ing portion resting on an upward-facing surface of the lock-set piece, and an abutment arm extending forwardly relative to the second axis into rearward juxtaposed relation with said anti-creep lug; and a lock-set lug projecting laterally from a rear portion of the lock-set piece disposed for engaging the forward side of the lock-set lug of the lock in unlocking position.

8. The coupler of claim 7 wherein: said portion of said element is U-shaped to provide a concave opening toward the lock-set piece; .and the lock-set piece has a lug projecting into the concavity.

9. The car coupler of claim 7 wherein: the lock has a recess in one side thereof defined by a peripheral camfollowing surface engaging said thrower throughout an unlocking stroke and both of said lock lugs are disposed above the recess.

10. The coupler of claim 9 comprising: a latch pivotally connected to the thrower in laterally juxtaposed relation therewith along an axis disposed forwardly, and extending lengthwise, of said first axis; said latch extending generally upward from its axis to provide .an up-facing abutment and, at locking position of the thrower and the lock, swingable by gravity away from said first axis to position said abutment under a cooperating downward-facing abutment of the lock-set piece.

11. A car coupler according to claim 1 wherein: the lock thrower is rotatable with respect to a horizontal transverse axis disposed in upward forward relation with said connection; said thrower is engageable with the lock for swinging the lock rearwardly within the cavity from a locking position to an unlocking position; and the coupler comprising a lock-set piece is engageable with a coupler coupled to said coupler for engaging and retaining said lock in unlocking position; and means for pivotally supporting the lock-set piece with respect to a horizontal transverse axis in directly overhead relation with the first axis.

12. The car coupler of claim 11 wherein: said first axis is disposed forwardly of a plane containing the second axis and passing centrally through said connection of the lock and the head wall.

13. A car coupler according to claim 1 wherein: the lock thrower is in cam relation with the lock and rotatable with respect to a first horizontal axis to swing the lock rearwardly from a locking position to an unlocking position; .and said first axis is disposed in upward forward relation with said connection of the lock with the wall portion; and the coupler comprises means for supporting a lock-set piece and an anti-creep element pivotally with respect to a second axis in direct overhead relation with the first axis; and said .axes and connection are arranged to dispose the first axis forwardly of a plane containing the second axis and passing centrally through the connection.

14. A car coupler comprising: a rigid jawed head having .a cavity and mouth thereof opening toward the front of the coupler; a lock supported inside the cavity with the lower rearward portion thereof in pivotal connection with a lower rearward wall portion of the head; a lock thrower rotatable with respect to a first horizontal transverse axis, said axis disposed in upward forward relation with said connection; an eccentric portion of the thrower' in cam relation with the lock for swinging the lock rearwardly about said connection from a locking position to an unlocking position; a lock-set piece; means for pivotally supporting the lock-set piece with respect to a second horizontal transverse axis in directly overhead relation with the first axis; said lock-set piece being loosely and rotatably connected with the supporting means for limited translatory movement in a longitudinal plane of the coupler, and engageable with a forward facing portion of the lock to retain the lock in its rearward position; said lock, at locking position, consisting of a front section projecting beyond said mouth and a rear section extending into the cavity from said mouth, said rear section being of generally triangular shape to define a rear surface sloping upwardly and forwardly from said lower rearward wall portion toward the upper extremity of said mouth; the head having a rearward wall spaced from said mouth to engageably receive said rear surface of the lock and dispose said front section substantially within the cavity.

15. A car coupler comprising: a rigid jawed head having a cavity and mouth thereof opening toward the front of the coupler; a lock supported inside the cavity with the lower rearward portion thereof in pivotal connection with a lower rearward wall portion of the head; the lock having a recess in one of its sides defined by a peripheral cam-following surface, a forward anti-creep lug, and a rearward lock-set lug, both lugs projecting laterally from said lock side above the recess; a rotor rotatable with respect to a first fixed horizontal transverse axis of the head comprising a cam-like thrower received in said recess, a shaft extending through the thrower in separable but relatively non-rotatable relationship; and a latch mounted pivotaliy on the thrower with respect to an axis spaced from the first axis and extending upwardly from the latter axis in forward relation with said first axis at the locking position of the lock and rotor; said head having a trunnion spaced directly overhead of said first axis and aligned along a second horizontal transverse axis; an anti-creep element supported rotatably on the trunnion with an arm adapted to extend downwardly and forwardly from the trunnion to engage the lock anti-creep lug; a lock-set piece having a vertically elongate opening receiving said trunnion and a center of gravity acting to tilt the lock-set piece to dispose a front portion thereof outwardly through said mouth in the absence of a coupler coupled with said coupler; said lock-set piece having a lock-set lug extending laterally from a rear portion thereof and from its side facing the lock; said element having a laterally extending portion overlapping a top surface of said lock-set piece forwardly of the trunnion; said piece, when supported pendantly on said trunnion with said front portion approximately within said mouth being in a position (1) disposing the front end of said element in rearward opposed relation with said anti-creep element of the lock when the lock is in looking position, (2) disposing the lock-set lug of said piece in forward opposed relation with the lock-set lug of the lock in its unlocking position, and (3) disposing a downward facing abutment portion of the lock-set piece in upward opposed relation with the upper end of said rotor latch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,591,275 Metzger Apr. 1, 1952 

